Alone, Together
by Sinclair Black
Summary: After Kai dies, he is sent to a new prison world. Charlotte is your average college student. What she doesn't know is she is destined to die and be sent to a prison world as well. Not alone, but with the company of the well known psychopath Malachai Parker. Will this eternity be a living nightmare, or has he changed from his old ways? (IS BASED BEFORE SEASON 8 EVENTS)
1. December 20th, 2017

I wrote this a while back and recently read it again. I realized how much I liked it, so please let me know what you think and if I should continue!

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 **Flashback**

It was December 20th, 2017. I was finally turning 21. The last liberating milestone birthday. Nothing could bring me down. I was going to my parents house for a special birthday breakfast, and that night I was supposed to go out with my friends to celebrate. But, then it all happened so fast. I was driving in the thick snow one minute and the next, everything was twisted sideways. I was lying on the ground and my vision was consumed in fire. Then, a bright white flash left me blinded with no sense of what happened. I heard a loud ringing and it destroyed my ear drums. Holding my ears, screaming my lungs out until I felt I had nothing left in me.

 **Present**

I wake up in the woods. Laying on my back on a snow covered pine needle ground. As I stare up at the sky, arms by my sides, I close my hands around the snow pine needle mixture and take in a deep breath. Closing my eyes, the scent of pine trees and crisp snow air fills my nose, giving me a sense of calm. I open my eyes again and sit up, releasing the grip of my hands and letting the pine needles fall back to the ground.

 _Where am I?_

Dusting off my gloves, I bring myself to stand up. There is nothing around me but trees. And behind those trees, are more trees. A dense forest of green surrounds me in every direction with no sign of anyone. I feel around the right pocket of my light pink knit cardigan and find my phone. Taking it out, I click the home button. It's 9:00 a.m. I have 7% and no service. There's only one thing I can think to do, and that's to start walking along the path I woke up on. With that in mind, I begin trying to find my way to the nearest road.

I check my phone periodically as I walk. When I first woke up I didn't feel cold. I didn't feel anything but peace, but as time dragged on, I started to get cold. I'm hugging my arms to my body and I see my breath rise above me as I take each step down the snow covered path. I check my phone again. 9:33 a.m. 6%. Then I saw it. The trees began to get less dense and I think I saw an opening a little bit further ahead.

 _Please be a road. Please…_

I reach the street. It doesn't seem like the street has been plowed yet and oddly enough, it doesn't seem like any cars have driven past either. The snow is completely untouched. I glance to my right and notice a sign. I can't read it because of the snow. I walk over and dusting it off with my glove, I read it.

 _Welcome to Mystic Falls, Virginia._

As soon as my eyes read the word Virginia, I start to panic. I don't understand what could be happening. How I could have gotten here or who is with me or what happened before the white flash. I have no idea where to go, or what to do. I check my phone again. 9:42 a.m. 6%. I'm about to put my phone away when I realize I have service. I unlock it and the first person I think to call is my mom. She must be worried sick about where I am. How I didn't show up to her house for my birthday breakfast. I can't imagine the pain she and my dad must be feeling. I need to let her know that I'm okay. I dial her number and put the cold screen up to my ear. I listen to it ring. But no answer. I call my dad, no answer. My brother, no answer. My best friend. No. Answer.

 _Why isn't anyone answering. Wouldn't they want to know where I am?_

Frustrated and confused, I begin to walk into the town called Mystic Falls.

As time passes by, I start to replay what happened before I woke up here. Loud crashes, flipping, flames. Pain. I believe I had been in a crash, but I don't know how I got here. I thought I was going to die. I don't know how I far I walked but when I looked up next, to the left, on the opposite side of the street was a small town grocery store. Looking both ways, I quickly crossed the street that was still untouched by any car tracks. The parking lot was empty. I walk across it, making my way to the doors ahead.

Cupping my hands above my eyes, I press them to the glass. The snow on my hands melts when it touches my face and starts dripping down my nose. I blink trying to focus on what's inside. No one is inside, and I don't see any sign of movement. I look around at the door, and there isn't any open or closed sign. The wind is starting to pick up and it's getting colder and colder every minute. I'm just so cold, out of habit I push the door, and miraculously it opened, sending me face first onto the cold tile floor inside.

The bell rings loudly. It's warm. I move my legs out of the way of the door and allow it to close completely. Just as it shuts, I stop feeling the wind, and relief washes over me. My heart beat is beating out of my chest. Still laying there on my side, I look up at the cash register, but no one is there. Or at any of them for that matter. I decide to finally say something.

"Hello?" I yell as I rise to my aching and cold feet. My shoes are soaked, along with the rest of my clothing. I may have escaped the outside wind and cold but my clothes are nothing but frozen ice shards.

 _What time is it?_

I reach for my phone in my pocket again. I pull it out to check the time. 10:05 a.m. 5%. I have been out in the cold for at least an hour. I don't know how long I was out there laying on the ground. And I still have no recollection of how I got there. Not having any memories of getting here absolutely terrified me.

"Hello, is anyone here?" I begin walking in between the check out registers. And a cloud of worry washes over me. "Please, answer me! Is anyone here?" Still no response. The market is just how I entered it. Completely silent. I'm cold, and frustrated. And alone. And I don't know what is going on, so I cry. Staring at the ground below me, I just let it out frozen in fear. My tears begin to fall down my face like drops of rain on a window. My heart aches for a sign of anyone else here with me. Just someone to hold and comfort me, because I can't stand to be alone and confused any longer. Then a bell rings behind me.

I look up with the echo of the bell ringing in my ears. I stare straight ahead for a moment, making sure what I just heard wasn't just my mystified mind playing tricks on me. I slowly turn around to my right, arms pulled in tightly to my shaking body. I'm facing the glass doors in which I fell through not even 5 minutes ago. But, this time there is something standing between me and those same exact doors. A tall man.

"Please help me.." A shock of cold washes over my body, and I fall down to my knees. Still looking at him, I watch as he rushes over to me removing his jacket as he gets closer. He bends down to my level breathing heavily, looking into my eyes.

"This sweater you have on is soaked. Here, let's get that off. You can have my jacket." He grabs the neck of my cardigan, pulling it down, leaving my shoulders bare. I only had a tank top on underneath. He grabbed my right wrist, slipping it into his already warm black leather jacket, and did the same with my other arm. He moved gently but without any hesitation. Pulling the jacket up over my shoulders he spoke once again, looking back into my eyes.

"You're freezing. Come on, let's get you somewhere warmer." He continued to look into me eyes while he tried to lift me to my feet. I couldn't hold myself anymore.

"I can't… who are you?" I spoke slowly. I could barely think. I could barely stay awake. I felt so tired. I felt like I had no strength left in me.

"I will answer all your questions soon, Charlotte." It was after he spoke that that I closed my eyes and was completely at his mercy. He reached his arm around my back as I started to fall. His other arm scooped under my legs as he lifted me off the ground. My head rested on his left shoulder as he turned me around and began walking to the doors of the market.

I was still completely conscious of what was going on, I was just exhausted from the cold and worry that my body was under. As he carried me out of the doors, I felt his body tense up in the cold. I couldn't believe what was happening. Why he was helping me either. Or how he knew my name. All I knew is that as soon as I could, I needed to call my parents and let them know I was okay.

He carried me for what felt like forever in the cold. I'm not exactly sure how long it actually was, or how far we went, but I opened my eyes when he set my feet down into the cold snow. They couldn't get any colder, so I didn't have a reaction to it, but they ached. As my feet hit the ground, he still had his left arm wrapped around my waist pulling me in close to him to hold me up. My eyes were open just enough to watch as he reached for a car door.

"A car…" I spoke slowly and softly once again, "I need to get… I need… can you get me home?" There was a pause between what I said and what he said next. I had spoken as he gently turned me around and guided me to sit down on the back seat so I didn't fall. I don't know if he didn't hear me at first or if he didn't quite get what I said. But then, as I sat there, wearing the jacket of this stranger, in the car of this stranger, looking up at this stranger, he spoke.

"Don't worry…" He stood there, shivering in the cold as the snow and wind whipped back and forth, resting his forearm on the hood of the car. "We're going home right now."

 _We? Did he just say we? I don't even know you?_

I had no memory of ever seeing this man in my life before. Yet he's here. He's helping me and going through far more trouble than necessary for me. I know how unsafe I could be right now. I know I need to get away from here and get home. I know I needed to contact my family and let them know I was alive. But I couldn't do anything. My body was so cold and so exhausted. I don't even know how long I was laying in the woods. I don't know how I got here or how to get home. All I knew was I was somewhere out of the wind and all I wanted to do was close my eyes. All I wanted to do was lay down here in this backseat and sleep until Spring. Despite everything telling me not to. But that's what I did.


	2. December 21st, 2017 - Part I

I open my eyes. I breathe in the warm air and it leaves me feeling at ease. I don't know where I am exactly but I do know one thing, I'm laying in the most comfortable bed I have ever been in. But, of course that may just be because I spent my morning walking through a foot of snow. Or that might have been yesterday. I don't really know. I'm laying on my left side, with my head on a fluffy white pillow. The comforter is thick and dark grey with a shiny gold design on it. My right arm is above the sheet, blanket, and comforter, pulling them all in close to me. The wall facing me has a window on it. In a trance, I watch the snow falling outside. The bright sun shining in through the window. The beams of light coming in and submerging the soft blankets covering me, making them even warmer. I go to shift my weight so I'm laying on my back.

 _Ouch. I'm so sore._

All of my joints began aching. The slight movement left my body wanting to pass out all over again. But, seeing as it didn't, I needed to figure out where I was. So, with a deep breath, I sit up. I look down at the blankets covering me and close my eyes, rubbing them with the back of my hands to wake them up. My eyes haven't adjusted just yet, so my surroundings are still slightly blurry. But, I can still see well enough to make everything out. The room is dark, aside from the light shining in and the large lit fireplace facing the bed on the opposite wall. Everything is a dark wood. The walls, floor, ceiling, even the tables, chairs and the bed frame. There is a fireplace directly across from the bed, a bookcase in the right corner along with a big dark red reading chair. Other than that, there are two bedside tables and two dressers. One on each end of the room. Taking in everything around me, I look back at the fireplace. Watching the flames come and go and come again. Listening to the cracking. Smelling the wood as it burns. Then the door left of the fireplace opens, and man walks in.

"You're awake," he has an unforeseen look on his face, "I wasn't sure if you were ever going to wake up." He chuckles and stops in the doorway not taking another step. He is tall and has dark brown hair. He is wearing a grey long sleeve shirt with black jeans and black boots.

I am frozen still, sitting up in the bed. I don't say anything. I'm looking directly into his eyes trying to sense if he is going to say anything else. We stay where we are in complete silence for a moment, just looking at one another. He shifts and leans on the left side of the door frame.

"Um, I made some food," he says while crossing his arms across his chest, "Listen, I understand if you aren't exactly ready to talk. Or if you just don't trust me." He looks down at the ground and takes a deep breath. "But, I'm not going to hurt you and will be more than glad to answer your questions." He looks back up at me. After another moment of silence he reaches for the door knob with his right hand and begins to back out of the room.

"Oh and there are some clothes on the chair there," he points at a folded pile of clothes sitting on a dark red chair in the corner next to the bookcase. They're mine so they won't fit very well but it's something clean to wear… see you downstairs." Then he shuts the door.

 _Downstairs…_

At this point sneaking out a window was no longer an option. I try to formulate another way to get out without being seen. But, I don't know my way around this house, I haven't even seen it yet. Instead, I take one last look around the room before I get up out of the bed. I pull the thick, soft comforter and blankets off of me with my left hand. The air isn't cold, but also isn't as warm as being under the covers. I swing my legs to the right, over the edge of the bed. One at a time, I place my bare feet on the wood floor. My ankles are so sore. I slowly stand up.

I'm so physically exhausted and dizzy, I struggle to keep my balance. I sway back and forth trying not to fall as I take a couple steps toward the foot of the bed. Finally I reach for the foot board to hold myself up. Everything is spinning. I blink, trying to focus my vision on the chair, but I can't. I stand there for a couple moments, just staring. If my head would just stop spinning. I couldn't just stand here forever. Then I heard a knock on the door.

"You okay in there?" He paused, "I'm going to come in, okay? Say something if I shouldn't." He waited again, and I turn to watch as he opens the door. "I came to check on you. You were taking a while." He looked at me holding onto the wooden column of the foot board for dear life, then at the clothes in the corner of the very large room. Looking back at me, he takes a deep breath. I took that as a sign that he realized what was taking me so long. I watch as his right hand let's go of the door handle and he begins to walk over to the chair. I keep my eyes fixed on him with every step to make sure he doesn't try anything. He picks up the pile of clothes and turns and looks at me, "sorry, I should've known." He walks towards me placing the clothes on the bed next to where I'm standing, "You were just in an…" Then he stops. I listen, waiting for him to finish what he was going to say. Our eyes are locked.

 _I was just in a what?_

"Never mind," He gives no answer, shifting his eyes to look at the ground, then back up, "I'll wait outside the door." Then he walks back out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

I look over my right shoulder at the pile of clothes. Loosening my grip on the foot board, I reach for the black piece of clothing on the top of the pile. As I lift it up, it unfolds, revealing a long sleeve with 3 buttons leading up to the neck. It's soft. I set it back down, and grab the hem of my shirt, pulling it up and off. My shoulders ache and my arms can barely get over my head. I let my shirt hit the floor, and slip on the black shirt. The sleeves are longer than my hands, so I have to roll them up.

Next, I unbutton my jeans. They are still damp from being out in the snow, I don't even know how long ago. I pull them down and off my ankles. The pants the man provided me with were grey sweats. Joggers with a pull string. I bend down and step into them. They're much warmer than what I had on before and I'm able to tighten the string enough that they won't fall off. I take off the socks I have on and put them with my other clothes on the ground. As I do that I notice my pink sweater hanging on a hook next to the door. That is my favorite sweater.

Now that I am no longer dizzy, or at least not as dizzy as I was, I slowly make my way to the door. I place my left hand on the knob and take a deep breath. I slowly open it, peeking my head through the crack in the door. I see the man leaning against a banister to the left of the door. He's looking down at the ground with his right leg crossed over his left and his arms folded. He doesn't see me, so I open the door little more and it begins to creak. He hears, and looks up at me. A small smile appears on his face.

"Sorry, I know it doesn't exactly fit, but it's all I had." He stands up straight. "Now, let's get you some food." He motions towards the top of the stairs with his left hand.

I walk out of the door and toward the stairs as he follows closely behind. Not out of eagerness, but more to make sure I didn't fall. It's colder out here so I pull my sleeves back down as we walk. The wooden floor creaks beneath us. I take each step slowly and carefully. My legs burn. The man has his arms out to steady me in case I lose my balance. We reach the bottom which leads on a long hallway with two large openings, one on either side.

"The kitchen is to the left." He points to the opening with his left hand, guiding me with his right arm behind my back. I have to say, his manners were very good. He minded my personal space, but still guided me enough that I knew he was there. We get to the opening, which reveals a large, dark wood kitchen. Directly across from us is a long wooden table and beyond that is an island which doubles as a counter and a stove. It has bar chairs as well. Beyond that is more counter space that stretches across the entirety of the wall and includes the sink along with it. Looking to the right, I see a fireplace with a cursive, metal, gold colored S above it. The only light coming in is from the windows, which are covered with open horizontal, wooden blinds.

"Take a seat anywhere you like," he motions me to the table as he walks farther into the kitchen, toward the island. There are two plates sitting on the counter already dished out. I can't tell what it is yet, but I can't wait to eat anyway.

I choose a seat facing the inside of the kitchen, nearest to the entrance we came in. I pull out the tall wooden chair with my sleeve covered hand, and sit down. There are already two empty glasses on the table. One is placed at the seat I happened to choose, and the other is placed the head of the table to my left. I watch as the man opens the large refrigerator behind him. It's wood like the rest of the room, so I thought it was a cupboard at first glance. He pulls out a container of orange juice and tucks it between his arm and abdomen. From there he turns around and grabs the two plates on the island counter and walks over to the table.

"Go ahead and start. You haven't eaten in at least a day." He sets a plate in front of me and begins pouring juice into my glass. The plate has french toast, bacon, eggs and mixed fruit. I have to say it looks very good. The scent of cinnamon fills the air in front of me, making me reach for my fork without even thinking. I begin eating what is on my plate and so does he.

"So, what do you want to know?" He asks right before wiping his hands on his napkin. I don't say anything. I continue to eat, acting like I didn't hear him utter a single word. He rests his elbows on the table and interlaces his fingers. "You know if you want answers, you're going to have to talk to me at some point. Ask me something. Anything." His gives me a deep yearning look. As if trying to pull the words out of me with just a glance. I set down my fork and rest my hands in my lap.

"How do you know my name?" I look at him, waiting for an answer. We just stare into each other eyes for a minute.

"Why don't we start with a simpler question." He glances down at his food and back up at me.

"Okay, what's your name?" I ask as I grab my fork and stick it into a piece of pineapple. I take a bite waiting for him to answer.

"Kai. Kai Parker," he takes another drink, "It's short for Malachai." He sets the glass back down.

"Thank you for saving me, Kai..." I looked him in the eyes so he knows I'm sincere when I say this, "but why hasn't my family been notified? Why aren't they here." I watch him closely waiting for an answer to my most concerning question. He doesn't answer right away. He just looks at me, breathing slowly. Maybe he is trying to formulate the best way to respond, or maybe he is trying to come up with a lie, but whatever it is I need to hear it.

"The answer to that is… complicated." He takes a long, deep breath, "Charlotte, what is the last thing you remember before waking up here."

"I remember you carrying me to the car an-" He cuts me off.

"No the last thing you remember before waking here in this town."

"Oh, uh, I don't remember many details. Just that it was my birthday and I was driving to my parents house I believe."

"And then, what happened next?"

"I- I'm not sure, it got really hot and there was fire everywhere. It felt like the whole world got flipped upside down." I stopped. That's all I remembered. I waited for him to give an explanation because he seemed as if he knew what was going on. "Do you know what happened?" I ask.

"Charlotte, you got in a car accident."

"Ok- Okay, but I mean, I'm fine. I'm alive aren't I? That's good, but that doesn't explain why my family isn't here. Or why I'm here or even how I got here." I begin to get frustrated, but I calm myself down. He hasn't done anything wrong that I know of, so I should be more patient with him.

"I'm going to tell you something," he adjusts in his seat so he is directly facing me, then he leans in close, "but you need to hear me out and give me time to explain." He raises his eyebrows and looks me in the eyes, "Charlotte, the morning of your birthday, you got into a terrible car accident. Your car went up in flames. By the time the firefighters got to you," he pauses, "... you were already dead."


End file.
